The present invention relates to stacked plate devices such as heat exchangers, and more particularly, to mounting brackets therefor.
Heat exchanger cores are commonly formed from a plurality of thin, substantially flat tubes, stacked upon one another in spaced relation, which extend between a pair of spaced-apart manifolds or headers. The manifolds are often simply constructed from pipe, suitably perforated to receive the flat tubes. Exemplary of this construction is the heat exchanger core described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,103 (Tokutake), issued Feb. 2, 1993. However, it is also known to seal the ends of the tubes, and provide the tubes with bosses which, when the tubes are suitably stacked and connected together, by brazing or the like, mate with one another to form the manifolds. It is known to use welded tubes for this latter type of construction, and also to use tubes formed from pairs of formed plates, which are sealed together during the brazing process. U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,282 (Seiler et al.), issued Oct. 12, 1999, is exemplary of this latter construction.
For the purpose of mounting, i.e. within the engine compartment of a vehicle or the like, heat exchanger cores of the type comprising perforated pipe headers, it is known to braze a mounting bracket to the header. The mounting bracket usually includes a lug adapted to be secured to the vehicle frame. Preferably, the mounting bracket is provided with a portion which is capable of resiliently engaging the exterior of the header to keep the mounting bracket in place during the brazing process, so as to avoid the need for auxiliary clamping tools, which can add to cost and can absorb heat in a brazing oven, resulting in poor quality braze joints. The mounting brackets taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,275 (Suzuki et al.), issued Dec. 3, 1991, are exemplary of this construction.
However, while this type of mounting bracket is known to be used in association with perforated-pipe type manifolds, it is not known to be used in association with paired-plate type heat exchanger cores having manifold-forming elements, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,282. In this latter type of heat exchanger, the core typically is provided with heavier gauge end plates with attached lugs, thereby to provide for mounting. A difficulty with this type of mounting is the limited flexibility it provides in terms of mounting location.
In the present invention, a mounting bracket is provided for a stacked plate core device of the type comprising a plurality of paired-plates having joined peripheral edge portions. The mounting bracket attaches to the peripheral edge portions of the plate pairs, thus providing superior strength, flexibility as to the location of the brackets, and minimal interference with fluid flow through the core.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a mounting bracket for use in a stacked plate core device of the type having a plurality of stacked plate pairs. Each plate pair includes first and second plates having peripheral edge portions joined together and central planar portions spaced apart to define a fluid passage therebetween. Each plate pair has spaced-apart inlet and outlet openings, the respective inlet and outlet openings being connected together to form manifolds for the flow of fluid through said fluid passages. The mounting bracket comprises a pair of spaced-apart, first and second, C-shaped clips adapted to engage the peripheral edge portions of different plate pairs. Also, a mounting portion is attached to the clips and extends therefrom, so that the mounting portion extends outwardly from the plate pairs, when the mounting bracket is attached thereto.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a stacked plate core device comprising a plurality of stacked plate pairs. Each plate pair includes first and second plates having peripheral edge portions joined together and central planar portions spaced apart to define a fluid passage therebetween. Each plate pair has spaced-apart inlet and outlet openings. Means are provided for connecting together the respective inlet and outlet openings to form manifolds for the flow of fluid through said fluid passages. A mounting bracket has a pair of spaced-apart, first and second, C-shaped clips attached to the peripheral edge portions of different plate pairs. Also, the mounting bracket has a mounting portion attached to the clips and extending therefrom, so that the mounting portion extends outwardly from the plate pairs.